Dumping-barge



A. F. W|K |NG. DUMPING BARGE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.13| 1920.

1,394,594, I Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

irs rarss- PTNT FFICE.

DUMPING-BAR-GE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 25, 1921..

Application filed December 13, 1920. Serial No. 430,177.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDnRs FREDRIK lVIKINo, a subject of the King of Sweden, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of lVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dun'iping-Barges, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in dumping barges.

As is well known, it is oftentimes desirable to dump or discharge sand, gravel, or dredgings of other -aterial in veryshallow water. Dumping barges such as now commonly employed are generally provided with drop bottoms or doors, through which they discharge, and by reason of this construction require comparatively deep water for discharging. Furthermore, barges of this type are generally provided with mechanical appliances located beneath the water line, which renders access thereto diflicut, and, as such appliances are quite frequently damaged or otherwise impaired, such inaccessibility is a source of trouble in actual practice. The form of these barges is also a source of many diflicu'lties, particularly in making the construction watertight, when wood is used as the building material. A barge with no mechanical appliances below the water line is desirable, no matter of what material it is constructed, and abarge of plain box form is particularly desirable, especially when wood is used as the building material.

One object of the present invention is to provide a barge by means of which a load may be discharged or dumped in very shallow water,.and one wherein the various objections and disadvantages above pointed out as being attendant upon the use of barges such as now commonly employed are avoided.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the follow- .ing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein one form of the invention .is illustrated.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a barge constructedfin accordance with the present invention, the sides of the bins or hoppers being removed. Int-his figure the method of discharging is illustrated.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. l, but showing thesectionsof the barge drawn together iorloading and conveying purposes Fig. 3 is a sectional view, taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, taken on the line at of Fig. 2.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the barge shown as comprising a plurality of main sections 1 and end sections 2, one of the latter being disposed at each end of the construction. There are two main sections shown in the drawings, but, as will be appreciated, any number may be employed. These floating sections 1 and 2 are shown in the drawings as of lain box construction, closed on all sides. l lowever, they may be made open on top, if desired, as will be readily appreciated. As shown, these floating sections constitute in eiiect pontoons.

Rigidly mounted on each end of the main pontoons or sections 1 is a sloping structure 1, and on the inner end of each of the end sections 2 a similar structure 2 is rigidly secured. As shown in the drawings, these sloping structures 1 and 2 constitute complementary bin sections adapted, when the floating sections are drawn or held together, to form bins. If desired, these sloping structures l and 2 may be built lower down with respect to the decks of the pontoons, a design which is preferable in the event the pontoons are constructed of steel or other metal. As pointed out, the box form, such as disclosed in the drawings, is preferable when the barge is constructed of wood.

Side members 3 and at are provided for the-bins. These side members, however, are not connected to'the bin bottoms or sloping structures 1'' and 2, but are joined or connected in pairs by means of the reinforcing cross-bars S and 9,- and are free to move longitudinally of the main sections 1. The side members 3 of the end bins, however, while free to move longitudinally with respect to the main pontoons are preferably bolted or otherwis v rigidly secured to the end pontoons 2, as relative movement between the latter and said members is not essential, as will be appreciated. When the sections of the barge are released and separate, the sloping structures 1 and 2", constituting the bin bottoms, also separate, thus forming discharge openings between the said sections, as

more clearly shown in Fig. 1. The extent of separation of the sections is limited by the lower reinforcing bars 9 of the side structures coming into contact with the bin hottoms or sloping structures, as also shown more clearly in Fig. 1. In these positions the discharge openings in the bottoms of the bins are at their maximum sizes.

- Ropes, chains, or the like, 5, one on each side of the barge, are provided for drawing thesections together and for releasing the same when it is desired to effect a discharging operation. One end of these'chains 0r ropes is secured to one of the end sections 2,

while the other end thereof is wrapped around the drum of a Windlass or like device 6, mounted on the other end section 2. By means of the Windlass the sections may be d awn together and held in such position for charging and conveying purposes, and when ibis-desired to discharge the load, the Windlass is merely operated to release the chains sufliciently to Permit of the sections floating apart, whereupon the load will be discharged between said sections. The oscillating motion which is imparted to the sections during a discharging operation will assist in some measure in clearing the bottomsand sides of the bins.

When the sections of the barge are permitted to separate, to effect a discharge, the side structures slide upon the decks of the sec-' .tions through contact of the reinforcing bars 9 either directly with the decks of said sections or with suitable longitudinally disposed bars 10. If desired, these reinforcing bars 9 may be provided with rollers, or the like, designed to engage or track the longitudinally disposed bars 10. As will be observed the Whole weight of the side structures carried by these cross bars 9, excepting, of course, the outer ends of the two outer sets, which, as above described, are rigidly secured to the end pontoons or sections 2. Longitudinally disposed bars or reinforcing elements 12 are disposed along the lower edges of the sides of the bins, these bars sl dably engaging the sides of the sections and serving to maintain the latter in longitudinal a-linement, both When the sections are held together and separated.

After the load carried by the barge has been dumped or discharged, the Windlass 6 is operatedto drawithe sections together by means of the chains 5, until adjacent enes of said sections are brought into approximate abutting relationship. During this operation the gu des or slnds 11, which are fitted to ad acent ends of the sections. will guide the latter into proper relative position,

and will serve to hold the same in such position until the chains are again released and the sections permitted to separate. as in a discharging operation. These guides 11 are preferably tapered at their outer ends, as shown, to insure their proper functioning. The proper alining of the sections, as the same are drawn together, is also facilitated by the bars- 12 oftthe bin side sections.

These' bars 12 aid materially in maintaining the floating sections in alinement when the latter are separated.

The manner in which the sections interfit or are held in proper alinement imparts flexibility to the barge as a whole, and permits yielding at the joints, which is of material importance in loading and in towing through rough water. In short, the oining of the sections is such as to overcome the possibility of the barges breaking or becoming dislodged at the points where the sections come together. The chains. 5 may be suitably housed and, preferably, mounted on suitable rollers or sheaths at the ends of the barge, so as to provide for free and easy operation.

, As above pointed out, the number of main sections employed may be varied, the construction and arrangement of said sections being such as to readily permit of a decrease or increase in the numberofsuch sections,

without in any Way altering the general scheme or necessitating changes. It is also to be observed that the number of main sections will not influence the strain on the chains 5, except to such negligible extent as maybe incident to towing. r V

It will be obvious that the present construction is -susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit of'the invention, and accordingly it is not desired to limit orrestrict the same to the particular form or arrangement of parts illustrated, except wherelimitations appear in the appended claims.

I claim 1. In. a barge of the class described, a pluralit-y of relatively movable floating sections arranged in tandem formation, complemental'bin sections mounted; on adjacent ends of said first-named sectionsYand means'for' holding said sections together. 7

2. In a barge of theclass described, a plurality of relatively movable floating sections arranged in tandem formation, complemental bin sections mounted'on adjacent ends of said. first-named sections, and means for holding said sections together, said means being releasable to permit separation ofsaid the bin concomplemental bin sections mounted on adjacent ends of said first-named sections, means for holding said sections together, said means being releasable to permit separation of said sections and the discharge of the bin contents therebetween, and means for maintaining said floating sections in longitudinal alinement.

5. A barge comprising a plurality of relatively movable floating sections, complemental bin sections carried by said floating sections and adapted when the latter are drawn together to form the bottom and ends of a bin, side members for said bin also mounted on said floating sections and being slidable with respect to at least one thereof, and means for holding said sections together for loading purposes and for permitting separation thereof for discharging purposes.

6. A barge comprising a plurality of relatively movable floating sections, complemental bin sections carried by said floating sections andadaptedwhen the latter are drawn together to form the bottom and ends of a bin, side members for said bin also mounted on said floating sections and being slidable with respect to at least one thereof, means.

for holding said sections together for loading purposes and for permitting separation thereof for discharging purposes, and reinforcing means connecting said side membears and adapted to coact with one of said bin sections upon separation of said floating sections to limit the extent of such separation.

7. In a barge of the class described, a plurality of relatively movable floating sections arranged end to end, and connecting means common to all of said sections and extending longitudinally of said barge.

8. A dumping barge comprising a plu- 'ality of separable sections flexibly connected together.

9. A dumping barge comprising a plurality of flexibly connected relatively movable floating sections, said sections being arranged in tandem formation.

10. A dumping barge comprising a plurality of floating sections arranged in tandem formation, and complemental bin sections carried by said floating sections.

1 1. A dumping barge comprising a plurality of floating sections capable of separation'for dumping purposes and adapted to be drawn together for charging purposes, and means for connecting said sections together in such wise as to permit of a yield ing movement at the joint when said sections are in charging position.

In testimony whereof I have subscribed my name.

ANDER-S FREDRIK WIKING. 

